Child Development (Birth to Adolescence) PDF

MED 104-Medical Psychology Child Development (From Birth to Adolescence) -An Introduction- Dr Stelios Georgiades, AFBP’sS, C.Psychol,...

MED 104-Medical Psychology Child Development (From Birth to Adolescence) -An Introduction- Dr Stelios Georgiades, AFBP’sS, C.Psychol, Professor of Clinical Psychology  PSYCHOLOGICAL AND PSYCHOSOCIAL DEVELOPMENT - Psychological and psychosocial development occurs through life span - At different stages we acquire different social and cognitive skills - These skills although psychological in nature they are affected by health and illness. Examples: - Problems of physical disability and their impact on autonomy - Health problems in later life influenced by early experiences  A way by which to consider the changes that occur during life span is through Erikson's Eight Stages of Life Span Development. 1. Trust vs Mistrust 2. Autonomy vs Shame & Doubt 3. Initiative vs Guilt 4. Industry vs Inferiority 5. Identity vs Role Confusion 6. Intimacy vs Isolation 7. Generativity vs Stagnation 8. Integrity vs Despair  Stage Basic Conflict Important Events Outcome Infancy Trust vs Mistrust Feeding Children develop a sense of trust when caregivers provide (birth to 18 reliability, care, and affection. A lack of this will lead to months) mistrust. Early Childhood Autonomy vs Shame & Toilet Training Children need to develop a sense of personal control (2 to 3 years) Doubt over physical skills and a sense of independence. Success leads to feelings of autonomy, failure results in feelings of shame and doubt. Preschool Initiative vs Guilt Exploration Children need to begin asserting control and power over (3 to 5 years) the environment. Success in this stage leads to a sense of purpose. Children who try to exert too much power experience disapproval, resulting in a sense of guilt. School Age Industry vs Inferiority School Children need to cope with new social and academic (6 to 11 years) demands. Success leads to a sense of competence, while failure results in feelings of inferiority. Adolescence Identity vs Role Social Teens need to develop a sense of self and personal (12 to 18 years) Confusion Relationships identity. Success leads to an ability to stay true to yourself, while failure leads to role confusion and a weak sense of self. The different stages of psychological development might appear irrelevant to the medical practitioner BUT they should be able to - identify abnormal patterns of development - treat these appropriately … in order to minimise disturbances to physical and psychological growth. - Areas to Review on Child Development from Birth to Adolescence from a psychological perspective: - Attachment - Cognitive Development - Language Development - Social Development - Moral Development Cognitive Development Intellectual Development - How does a child’s mind grow? - When and how do children begin to think symbolically, reason logically and see things from another person’s perspective? Questions that are attempted to be answered by the theory of Cognitive Development proposed by the Swiss Psychologist Jean Piaget (1954) His theory began with the idea that the child’s mind is not a miniature version of an adult’s mind waiting to be filled with information. On the contrary, a child’s mind develops into an adult mind through four stages known as the stages of cognitive development that they span from birth to the adolescent years. Equilibration: assimilation & accommodation We adjust our ideas to make sense of reality Assimilation: process of matching external reality to an existing cognitive structure. Accommodation: When there’s an inconsistency between the learner’s cognitive structure & the thing being learned the child will reorganize her thoughts Piaget’s Four Stages of Cognitive Development Believed that all children develop according to four stages based on how they see the world. He thought the age may vary to some, but that we all go through the stages in the same order. 1. Sensorimotor (birth –2 years) 2. Preoperational (~2-7) 3. Concrete operational (~7-11) 4. Formal operations (~12-15) Sensorimotor Stage Birth to about 2 years, rapid change is seen throughout this period The child will: Explore the world through senses & motor activity Early on, baby can’t tell difference between themselves & the environment If they can’t see something then it doesn’t exist (object permanence) Begin to understand cause & effect Can later follow something with their eyes Preoperational Stage About 2 to about 7 years Better speech communication Can imagine the future & reflect on the past Develop basic numerical abilities Still pretty egocentric, but learning to be able to delay gratification Can’t understand conservation of matter Has difficulty distinguishing fantasy from reality (ex: cartoon characters are real people). …more preoperational Conservation of matter – understanding that something doesn’t change even though it looks different, shape is not related to quantity Ex: Are ten coins set in a long line more than ten coins in a pile? Ex: Is there less water if it is poured into a bigger container?  Piaget’s Pre- Operational Stage Inability to understand conservation of matter. Concrete operational Stage From about 7 to about 11years Abstract reasoning ability & ability to generalize from the concrete increases Understands conservation of matter Formal Operations From about 12 to about 15 years Be able to think about hypothetical situations Form & test hypotheses Organize information Reason scientifically According to Piaget, Development happens from one stage to another through interaction with the environment. Changes from stage to stage may occur abruptly and kids will differ in how long they are in each stage. Cognitive development can only happen after genetically controlled biological growth occurs. Also, Piaget points out that , development leads to learning Drive for development is internal The child can only learn certain things when she is at the right developmental stage. Environmental factors can influence but not direct development. Development will happen naturally through regular interaction with social environment.